MAY | NOV | Dec
| 21 |
2007 | 2010 | 2011
23 captures 23 Feb 01 - 21 Nov 10 |
| Close Help

# Societies and Factions

#### by Mark D F Shirley

The copyright of this article remains with the original author. Articles may be copied or distributed freely for personal non-profit use, provided that the author is properly credited.

This document is concerned with the societies, factions and lineages within the Order of Hermes. Societies are groups of Magi from many houses, all dedicated to the same cause or ideal. Factions occur within houses, they represent a sub-type of Magi within that house.

Both societies and factions can be either formal, informal or secret. A Formal society or faction is a public group of Magi that work together co-operatively. They often require an oath of some description, and often have identifying marks. They may have ranks within the society, that the Magus may use as part of his title.

An Informal faction is a loose affiliation of Magi, without any formal recognition that they are a group. They rarely refer to themselves as 'members' of the society.

A Secret society does not have official existence. A member will usually deny being a member if asked. These societies are often secret because their actions would not be approved of by the rest of the Order, but sometimes they consist of an elite body who don't just want anyone to join. Apart from this, they are similar to formal societies, except that the titles and ranks are not in common usage

A faction may also be a lineage. These are Magi who carry on a tradition founded by a noted member of their house. They generally have a brand of magic which has passed master to apprentice until to present day.

### The Ring Guilds of Verditius

Type: Formal Factions of House Verditius

Stated Purpose: Organisation and mutual aid

Real Purpose: -

Description: All Verditii belong to one of the Five Guilds, each symbolised by one of the rings worn by Verditius. Each of the guilds is entered upon completing one's Gauntlet. The Verditii require a prentice piece made for their Gauntlet, and the form of that magical item determines the guild - if it is a wooden wand, they enter the Guild of Carvers, if it is a silver ring then they most likely enter the Guild of Smiths, if it is a cloak, then they become part of the Guild of Weavers. The exception to this is the Guild of Merchants, who will invite any young apprentice who shows promise or intellect. The joke goes that they will invite any who make a profit during their apprenticeship. It is likely that a Magus will enter the same guild as his master, due to the training they receive. It is perfectly possible to change guilds, for they are fiercely competitive, and greatly desire to know the secrets of another. However, standards must be maintained, and a second prentice piece must be made, and offered to the leader of the guild to be joined. This also incurs the enmity of the Guild that has been left.

The Guilds are (in rough order of precedence):

- The Aureate Guild of Smiths and Lapidiaries. This honoured Guild is named after the plain gold ring that Verditius wore on his forefinger. It includes those who work with metal in any form - blacksmithing, whitesmithing, jewellery-making, armouring, weaponsmithing, etc. It also includes the cutting of gemstones. It is the largest of the guilds, taking up about a third of the members of House Verditius.
- The Ebon Guild of Carvers and Masons. This guild is the second largest, comprising about a quarter of the House. All who enchant with wood, ivory or bone are members of this house, as are those who craft stone. The guild is named after the ivory-inlaid ebony ring of Verditius, worn on his ring finger. This guild makes up about a quarter of the House.
- The Amber Guild of Merchants and Brokers. This guild does not specialise in any one craft. Instead, it is the business end of the House, dealing with requests and commissions, as well as handling the House's vis stores, and procuring the obscure materials required by members of the House. It is also responsible for raising the mundane finances of the House, purely through trade (or so they tell the Quaesitores...). Of course, members of this guild are still skilled enchanters, but it is their quick wit and fine social skills that they are chosen. It is the third most powerful guild in the House, but because of it's function, not it's size - it is actually the smallest guild, making up a mere tenth of the House. Verditius's amber ring was set in white gold, and was worn on his thumb.
- The Serpentine Guild of Weavers and Curriers, this guild contains all those who deal with cloth and leather - weavers, tailors, curriers and furriers. Because of its association with leather, it is also responsible for making parchment and vellum. This is the next largest of the guilds - about a fifth of the House. Verditius wore the striped ring of serpentine on his middle finger.
- The Vitreous Guild of Potters and Brewers. The least powerful of the guilds, comprising about a sixth of the House, this guild is a bit of a mixed bag. It contains the potters and glassblowers of the House, as well as those who make extensive use of alchemy in their work. The members of this guild are often looked down on by other Verditii as wizards that are little better than hedge wizards, however, were it not for their diligent work in making lab equipment and preparing herbs and exotic ingredients, the House would grind to a halt. The clear glass ring made by Verditius, reputed to be the most powerful, was worn on his little finger.

  Benefits of Membership: Verditii benefit greatly from being guild members, even though they have no choice in the matter. Firstly, they can get laboratory equipment and supplies for greatly reduced prices, and even bizarre or exotic materials are usually available ("four ounces of liver from a vulture that died of leprosy? Certainly sir..."). Secondly they can apply to their guild for funding for a particular project, if they cannot gather all the vis required immediately. The interest rates are not exorbitantly high...Finally, fellow guild members may assist them in projects, and the sharing of knowledge through laboratory texts is common-place. However, this system works on reciprocation, and must not be abused, else guild privileges will be removed.

  Requirements of Members: Verditii must spend time making equipment for the House. Normally this proceeds at slow rate - whenever a Magus makes something for himself, he makes double - thus does not intrude on his own valuable time. However, once in every five year stint, a Verditius must devote a season of work to creating simple equipment for the House. As every Verditius has at least one Craft skill (and maybe more) related to his guild, this work can be of great use to others in the House. This service is what keeps the House great.

  Leader: Primus Verditii

  Symbol: The Five Rings of Verditius

  Typical Members: All members of House Verditius

  ### The Pican League

  Type: Formal Society

  Stated Purpose: To protect the Order against all enemies

  Real Purpose: To create a new Order

  Description: The Pican League was formed in the years preceding the Schism War. At this time the Order was in chaos, with disorder running riot, and the Code all but forgotten. A group of Magi from House Tremere brought together other Magi from Houses Flambeau and Tytalus, and proposed a solution to save the Order. They began to work at restoring order, often through rather extreme and brutal means. For this work, they were lauded by House Guernicus, and some joined their efforts from this and other houses. All the while, other Tremere were fostering hatred through the Order for the non-Latinate Magi in general, and House Díedne in particular, all according to Tremere's long range plan. Soon the League was strong, tempered by the resurrection of the sacred cult of Mars. Soon the time was right, and the League struck at House Díedne, all but obliterating it. In the aftermath of the War there was a crisis point, as the Pican League very nearly split off from the rest of the Order, which had suddenly become very peaceful. Only the primi of Houses Mercere and Trianoma forestalled a separation of the Pican League, and the Order remained whole.

  Since then, the Pican League has quietly retired from an active political life. They still crop up at Tribunal meetings, usually as the more militant members of the area. They are fiercely against having to compromise the activities of Magi due to outside influences, whether they be the Church, the nobility, or foreign wizards. To others, they appear as a mere nuisance, brash and reactionary, but easily controlled. This image is preserved by not letting the younger members of the League aware of the true beliefs of the society.

  The Pican League is elitist, facist and chauvinistic. The members believe that Magi are the pinnacle of human existence, better than priests, nobles or even royals. They seek to overthrow the secrecy of the past, and have the Order enter the social order as is right - dictating to the common man. The true agenda of the League is to create a new Order, destroying the old one in the process if they have to.

  It is believed that they supported the Norman Invasion of England (perhaps even instigated it...) to test out their ideals. Whether or not this experiment was successful or not remains unknown, but the fact that they have yet to divide from the Order as a whole suggests that at the very least, the jury is still out on that one.

  Today, the League conducts its rites in private, and is generally quiet on the political front. Its members are occasionally outspoken in Tribunals against mundanes, particularly the church, but they tend to keep their heads down. During the Albigensian Crusade it is likely that the Pican League will benefit from a resurgence in interest, and be foremost in demanding that the Order fights against the Church and the French nobility. For the first time they will have the support f House Jerbiton.

  There are three grades of membership: sacerdos, flamen and antistes. These correspond to the priestly ranks of ancient Rome. The antistes is the leader of a Temple - that is, a regional grouping. There are sixteen antistes in all, ruled by four pontifices (sing. pontifex). The supreme ruler of the Pican League is called the pater pontificum ('father of pontifices'). There are several auxiliary ranks as well, granted as marks of honour.

  Those only initiated into the low levels of the cult aren't aware of the true purpose of the society, it is only as they rise in importance and power that they learn more. The League is served by the Salii, priests of Mars, most of whom are Gifted, but were discovered too late to learn Hermetic magic. These priests exhibit Exceptional Talents, and conduct religious rituals for the League.

  Benefits of Membership: A member of the League gets support from his fellows. He will always have political backers, even though he may not know who these backers are. Fellow members of the same or lower grade are required to assist Magi - this tends to be political or military support, not magical. The members can also rely on the Salii to assist them.

  Requirements of Members: the mutual help of the League goes both ways. Members are often asked to do tasks for their superiors, often tasks that might seem minor at first, but turn out to be more far-reaching than previously expected. Because of the nature of the agenda of the League, members are also required to risk possible persecution by the Order, even though they will not realise this when they join.

  Leader: the pater pontificum is Arch Magus Nestorius scholae Tremendi. Their headquarters is Nestorius's covenant, Aedes Saliorum, located on the Isle of Jersey.

  Symbol: A kingfisher badge, usually made of iron. The Proelii of the League have recently taken to wearing red sashes, marked with the kingfisher badge.

  Typical Members: Most of the members belong to Houses Flambeau, Tremere, and Tytalus, but the League also attracts Verditii, and even Guernici. As well as being chauvinists (women are admitted, but the entrance requirements are twice as stringent), they are also racist - the League will only admit Roman Magi - both 'west Roman' or Latinate Houses and the 'east Roman' or Greek/Byzantine Magi are admitted, but no others.

  Advancement through the grades is based on ability and power, as well as the assessment of their superiors, and the completion of an initiatory task. More often than not, a person is raised to a higher grade because they make a suitable pawn in the bigger game.

  ### Eversor

  Type: Informal Lineage of House Flambeau

  Stated Purpose: -

  Real Purpose: -

  Description: the first apprentice of Flambeau was Apromor. Unlike all of Flambeau's subsequent apprentices, Apromor had a great affinity for the Art of Destruction, preferring the subtlety that this Hermetic Technique offered. Those descended from this famous Archmagus became known as the 'Eversor', meaning 'destroyers', whereas the more mainstream Flambeau became known as the Incendior ('burners'). This lineage shares the typical qualities of Magi from House Flambeau with their fiery brothers, and both usually know a smattering of the other's art. Only the Eversor are a true lineage, descended directly from Apromor.

  Currently, about six tenths of House Flambeau is of the Incendior group, and about a quarter are Eversor. The rest are those miscellaneous Magi that fit neither label, specialising in arts other than Ignem or Perdo, or equally specialised in both..

  Benefits of Membership: none

  Requirements of Members: none

  Leader: none

  Symbol: none

  Typical Members: Members of House Flambeau. The Eversors have been likened to Tytali or Tremere - still with the drive of the average Flambonis, but more persevering and vengeful. The Incendior are the typical stereotype of this House - brash, volatile and courageous. Note that these are very much stereotypes.

  ### Quaerti

  Type: Formal Lineage of House Bonisagus

  Stated Purpose: to maintain the standards expected of the Bonisagi.

  Real Purpose: -

  Description: These Magi are direct Hermetic descendants of Quaertus Primus, the first apprentice of Bonisagus, and considered to be the first ever Hermetic Magus. Quaertus was responsible for the formalisation of the years of apprenticeship and the Apprentice's Gauntlet. He wrote many books that are the mainstay of the Order, and created many spells which are now part of the official canon taught to apprentices. His first apprentices was Notatus, the first Primus of House Bonisagus, and the magus who introduced the ritual "Aegis of the Hearth" to the Order.

  He was a generalist in his magical arts, and carried on his master's work in the formulation of Hermetic theory. Bonisagus was getting quite old by this time, and concentrated mainly in training more apprentices, but the old Founder was beginning his long slow descent into Twilight, and his later apprentices were not of so great quality.

  Quaertus is credited with being every bit as brilliant as Bonisagus, assisting him in all his discoveries after the Founding of the Order, working with Verditius to integrate the crafting of magic items into Hermetic Theory, and assisting Tremere with the creation of the rite of certamen. His next task was to work with Merinita to make fae magics and integral part of the corpus of Hermetic knowledge, but the mysterious Founder had disappeared, and could not be found, thus this work was never finished. He learnt mastery of the Enigma from Criamon, then taught other Magi how to master Twilight, as opposed to becoming overwhelmed - for this reason he did not go the way of Bonisagus, dying a natural death at the age of 264.

  His lineage has remained discrete from the rest of the House, and is looked to achieve as much as their noteworthy forebear. For this reason, they often burn out young, or are so strongly driven that they take reckless measures to succeed. The House has maintained the fiction of their brilliance out of pride's sake - they are usually unstable, obsessed, or both.

  Each member of this lineage chooses a field of research, usually related to the field in which his master worked in.

  Benefits of Membership: the Quaerti (as they are known) gain an extra point of reputation on their Hermetic Prestige. This is signified by adding the familial 'Quaerti' to one's name - 'Robertus Festus Quaerti filius Lentus Maxima Quaerti scholae Bonisagi'. They have the right within their House to take apprentices even from other Bonisagi, if the child shows sufficient promise.

  Requirements of Members: The Quaerti are expected to be the most intelligent of the Bonisagi. The pressure on them to advance Hermetic theory is immense, and they usually burn out early. They are required by their fellows to produce one apprentice every 30 years, starting from the Hermetic age (i.e. years past the Gauntlet) of 20. They are also expected to write up all of their discoveries for the benefit of the Order. Thus the spells that they invent are expected to be written up as Tractatus, and should they make any advances in Magic Theory, they should write a summa on the subject. Failure to do either of these requirements is grounds for 'dismissal' - the Magus is disowned by other Quaerti, although remains a member of House Bonisagus. If this occurs, the Magus loses a point from his Hermetic Prestige reputation and gains a new one - Failure (House Bonisagus) at a rating of 2

  Leader: the oldest living Quaerti, currently Karullia Crassa.

  Symbol: a golden key

  Typical Members: These Bonisagi are usually the most intelligent - they rarely have an Intelligence score of lower than +3, and they nearly all have the Inventive Genius Virtue. Other virtues such as Clear Thinker and Knacks are also common.